Eve of Destruction
by Candylovin Fehrian
Summary: My try at a Christmas story... Two different places, one night, their thoughts and feelings.


**_A/N I couldn't help myself! I just had to write a Christmas story, and even though it might not look like one at first, it actually is… I really intended to write a sweet and short story with lots of humour, but when my fingers start typing… I never know where it's gonna end! So here it is, a story about two places, at the exact same time. And I believe that's exactly what Christmas is about, to be with, in body or spirit, with the ones you love…  
Ow, and I've kinda made this story a teensy tiny crossover with another eighties show. See if you can spot it (that won't be hard, I promise…) I just wanted to know how it would be like if those people would meet out there. Title is taken from the song by Barry Mcguire.  
Now, on to the story, and to all:_**

**_A merry Christmas and a happy, creative New Year!_**

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_Somewhere in the jungles of Vietnam_

The sounds of pain and suffering surrounded him… Distant rumbles in the distance told him the story behind those moans. A slight shudder of the tent told him they were close. 'Bastards'

Almost immediately he chastisized himself. His uncle had taught him better than that.

His uncle… He let the word roll through his clouded brain. Tasted it on his tongue, feeling how it still calmed him. Even after a year in this hell…

Around him, the beds were filled, men talking softly to eachother, writing letters or tossing and turning in the throes of a nightmare. Luke didn't need to sleep to have nightmares, heck his entire life felt like one big nightmare right now.

Shifting on his bunk, he groaned as the fresh leg-wound made itself known. It wasn't so much the pain that bothered him. The fact that he was one of the few to make it out alive was worse. Why him? Was he so special?

Shaking his head, he willed those thoughts away. He had learned a long time ago, that you shouldn't think about those things. You would become crazy within months. And Luke had seen it happen. The chopper pilot on his last mission. The mission where they lost half of his platoon… They called him Howlin' Mad. The guy was from Texas, and had served for two years now, but he was already talking to people who weren't there. Even had a dog named 'Billy' sitting next to him on board. If he wasn't such a good pilot, he would have already been sent to the loony bin.

'That's what the army does to ya… Screws you up, and sends ya back home…'

Fingering the letters in his hand, Luke let them ground him again. Whenever he felt like loosing it, which was quite regularly, he would read them, over and over and over. They were his beacon, his home, and even though he couldn't be with them, he still had a part of them with him. And right now, he needed his home, especially tonight…

His mind suddenly took him back there. To the small, but warm farm where he grew up, wondering what they would be doing right now, on this special evening.

Daisy would be in the kitchen, baking too many cookies, knowing Bo would eat them all and feel sick later. Uncle Jesse and Bo would be coming in right now, shaking off the few snowflakes while carrying the wonderfully smelling tree. He could almost feel that piny smell invading his nostrils. The minute it entered their living room, the entire house smelt like it. Pine…

When the cookies would be in the oven, Daisy would help with the decorations, humming happily as Bo teased her by putting decorations in her long auburn hair.

Jesse would grumble softly, but his eyes would twinkle as he did most of the decorations himself.

Four socks would hang next to the fireplace by now. Daisy's sock being red and white, while Jesse's old one was brown, decorated with small ribbons.

The other two socks were identical, except for size. When they had made the red and green socks at school, Luke made sure his was just a little bigger then Bo's, hoping his presents would be bigger then too. He soon found out that wasn't how Santa saw it, as him and Bo got the same thing that year.

When the room and the tree were decorated, Daisy would finish the cookies, while Jesse made some hot cocoa. In the meantime, Bo, who had never been able to contain himself, put his presents underneath the tree.

Turning on the radio, music would fill the room, as three people made themselves comfortable around the warming fire. Cookies and cocoa filling their stomachs as they laughed and talked about the day before them, and the time spent.

Heaving a deep sigh, Luke opened his eyes, only to be met with the top of the tent he was lying in. Somewhere in a corner, someone had put up a small tree with lights in it, but it looked pathetic.

Rubbing his burning eyes, Luke jumped a little at the sound of a voice he thought he would never hear again, especially not in his unit.

"I'm glad to see you've made it Sergeant,"

Sitting up a little, Luke shoved the letters under his bunk, as he greeted the man who had practically carried him out of that jungle.

"Lieutenant Peck… thanks," he answered dryly, shaking the man's hand.

"Yeah well, we wouldn't want you to miss this special evening now, wouldn't we?" the Lieutenant winked, and Luke knew he had been busted.

"Hey, even Marines can long for some Christmas spirit…" he muttered jokingly.

The young Lieutenant sobered up quickly, as if he longed for the exact same thing.

"Well, ya can't have everything. Me? I'm just glad to be alive to see it happen from here. And we can long for lots more Christmases after this war ends…"

Nodding a little, Luke saw the logic in his answer, but he also detected a bit of sadness.

"You have family somewhere, Lieutenant?" he asked, somehow wanting to get to know the stranger who had saved his life, so he actually could see lots of Christmases.

The green eyes blanked at that question, as a fake smile reached Peck's eyes. "Nope, but I sure miss the Christmases at the orphanage though. We would have a huge tree, and milk and cookies…"

As the Lieutenant talked, Luke suddenly felt like he wasn't alone. He wasn't the only one missing his home. And even though every soldier in this war would long for their own kind of home, they were all in the same situation.

Luke only tuned back in when something was touching his hand. Looking down he almost didn't believe it when he saw it. In his hand, a gingerbread cookie was resting, the smell coming from it making him believe Daisy could walk in any second.

He looked up in the young Lieutenant's face, seeing how the man, or rather boy, was smiling, a real smile.

"You look like you could use one right now. I'll bet you have family back home who makes them for you, right?" he said knowingly.

Luke could only nod. "But… How?"

Shrugging, Peck stood up, preparing to get to his unit again. "I wouldn't be a good supply officer if I couldn't deliver, right?"

Winking one more time, the man left, limping just a little bit. Mid stride, he stopped, turned around and said two words, "See ya…"

As Luke waved after the strange young man, who couldn't have been older than eighteen, he reached under his bunk for the letters again.

Laying back down, he read the last one, written by Bo, who told everything about the Christmas-preparations at the Dukefarm. Nibbling at his cookie, he felt a little bit of home filling him.

He would get through this, and spend lots of Christmases with his family. But for now this would do…

"Merry Christmas, y'all…"

_On the other side of the world, on a small farm in Hazzard…_

Three people were standing in front of the fireplace. All the decorations were hanging from their place around the living room, and even the tree sparkled in the moonlit living room.

Yet, there didn't seem to be any joyful laughter filling the house. Rain clattered on the roof in a steady rhythm. A plate full of cookies was standing uneaten on the table, cold cups of cocoa untouched. And underneath the tree, there were no presents to be found yet.

Just three people, staring at four socks hanging next to the fireplace. Four names on them, each of them filled with a present.

As one of them sighed shakily, another put his arm around her.

"I wish he was here, uncle Jesse…"

"I know baby, me too… We just gotta believe he'll be here next year."

"Will he be thinkin' of us?" Bo asked, unsure as the letters they got were becoming shorter.

The other arm went around his nephew.

"Yes, he will. An' we'll think of him, so in thought, he'll be right here with us."

Silence engulfed them, as each Duke was silently reaching towards the one person missing this night.

As a silent tear cascaded down his face, the Duke patriarch let go of his two youngins and sent them to bed.

Standing alone in front of the fireplace, he thought of the one boy who wouldn't open his present tomorrow morning. The boy whom he prayed was safe somewhere in that unrelenting jungle. The boy, who, if the good Lord was listening, was going to be with them again to celebrate many more Christmases…

"Merry Christmas Luke…"

END

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_**And a Merry Christmas to y'all out there, wherever you are!**_

_**Love, Candylovin Fehrian**_

_**I gotta stop bein so mushy… lol**_


End file.
